The present invention relates to determination of the propensity of a subject to formation of urinary stones.
It is estimated that approximately four percent of the adult population, worldwide, encounters a urinary stone difficulty.
Prophylactic treatment is known for preventing the occurrence of urinary stones. What is lacking is an efficient and cost-effective technique for screening the population in order to indicate those persons requiring prophylactic treatment.
Various techniques have been proposed for determining the propensity of a subject to formation of urinary stones. The following U.S. Patents are considered to represent the state of the art: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,025,307; 4,183,729; 4,263,010; 4,399,003; 4,888,182 and 5,064,765.
The present invention seeks to provide an efficient and cost-effective technique and system for indicating the propensity of a subject to formation of urinary stones.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for indicating the propensity of a subject to formation of urinary stones including apparatus for optically observing a urine sample from a subject under magnification and an image analyzer operative to determine the existence of crystalline bodies in said urine sample and to provide an output indication thereof.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for analyzing urine of a subject including:
apparatus for optically observing a urine sample from a subject under magnification; and
an image analyzer operative to determine the existence of bodies in the urine sample and to provide an output indication thereof.
The bodies may include at least one of cells, crystalline bodies, microorganisms and casts.
Preferably, the image analyzer is also operative to provide an indication of the size of the crystalline bodies.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for optically observing is operative to observe at least one urine sample in the presence of at least one reagent.
Preferably, the apparatus for optically observing a urine sample is operative to observe a plurality of urine samples from a subject in the presence of a plurality of different reagents.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of different reagents comprise crystallization inducers of different activities.
Preferably, the plurality of different reagents comprise crystallization inducers of different concentrations.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one reagent comprises a crystallization inducer.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the image analyzer includes software which measures the mass of the bodies.
Additionally or alternatively, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the image analyzer includes software which indicates the shape of the bodies.
Additionally or alternatively, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the image analyzer includes software which indicates changes in the bodies over time.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for indicating the propensity of a subject to formation of urinary stones comprising:
optically observing a urine sample from a subject under magnification; and
performing computerized image analysis to determine the existence of crystalline bodies in the urine sample and to provide an output indication thereof.
There is additionally provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for analyzing urine of a subject comprising:
optically observing a urine sample from a subject under magnification; and
performing image analysis to determine the existence of bodies in the urine sample and to provide an output indication thereof.